Anglian Water says water demand has fallen by around nine per cent since its hosepipe ban came into force, thanking customers across the region for helping to protect supplies during one of the driest years on record.

The temporary use ban was introduced last week after exceptionally dry weather and a third heatwave of the year placed increasing pressure on water resources across the region, including Northamptonshire.

The company said demand reached record levels on Friday, July 10, exceeding those seen during the July 2022 heatwave when temperatures topped 40C.

Anglian Water said rivers remain at notably or exceptionally low levels, while reservoir stocks are below where they would normally be for this time of year.

Don Maher, director of customer services at Anglian Water, said: "We would like to say a huge thank you to our customers for their support over the last few days. Since restrictions came in, we've already seen demand fall by around 9%, which shows just how much of a difference people can make.

"We know hosepipe restrictions can be frustrating, especially during the summer holidays, and we're grateful to customers for the support and understanding they've shown."

He added that although the early reduction in demand was encouraging, customers should continue to save water wherever possible to help protect the environment and maintain supplies throughout the summer.

Alongside the restrictions, Anglian Water said it is continuing to tackle leaks, with teams working around the clock using smart technology, artificial intelligence and additional field crews to detect and repair bursts.

The company is also investing more than £11 billion in new infrastructure, including replacing more than 1,000 kilometres of water mains, rolling out 1.5 million smart meters, building two new reservoirs and developing a strategic pipeline network to improve the resilience of future water supplies.